[Mission] Eye of the Dragon (Shadow)

[Hitura Rael]

Date: 12/26
Time: 11:23 am

Location: Nagasaki, Japan

Two students waited, seated in the outside area of a cafe. It was counter productive, it seemed, given winter had shed it's white wrath upon the country side. However, Katey found it to be far more beneficial to conduct business. They would be able to site their potential hire and alleviate some of the anxiety that accompanied waiting. The cold nip paired well with the peppermint cocoa anyway, warming from the inside out.

Stephen however, did nothing but complain, even as he sipped at a tall steaming cup of coffee. It was ludicris to be outside, bundled head to toe, and waiting when there was a perfectly warm cafe inside to keep warm in. He could tolerate whatever the theme was in the name of being warm. There was nothing to do out here but nurse a hot drink in mittens and gloves. And be called a baby by the third member of their crew, hidden in Katey's bag dozing.

Shiv Doh, the little icy blue bastard, had barely lifted a finger since leaving the moon, bringing them to this place to meet up with their contact. He could do something besides sleep and eat whatever Katey tossed in her bag.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

As she walked through the streets, she felt slightly repulsed. To be back in her home once again, only to be greeted by architecture unbecoming of her people. Tall concrete structures towered above her, with nary a shrine in sight. Not to mention the destroyed surroundings of the city visible from the boat ride here. Britannia has certainly been busy. Not a single piece of Japanese culture remained in sight. Now they were just Elevens, numbers in the cold calculus of Britannian colonization. Would that they were at least brave enough to admit what exactly it was they were doing, rather than spreading the glory of their empire. At least there were a few willing to say it, and those were the ones she could bare the most.

In order to blend in better, the woman had dressed herself in some casual civilian clothing as opposed to her usual formal suit that she wore with pride and joy. She immediately spotted two of her contacts through the frosted window of the cafe, and immediately walked indoors. She was greeted by the staff upon her entry, she nodded in recognition before taking a turn to the right of the cafe’s interior.

The woman soon came close to the two students, it seemed only half her face was visible as a medical face mask seemed to cover the rest. “Excuse me, you wouldn’t happen to be the ones with that job offer from the Moon, would you?” She spoke in a slightly hushed tone in order to ensure no one else would overhear.

 

[Hitura Rael]

Somehow, somehow... Stephen had gotten his way. Not that it bothered the little dragon to be picked up and moved around. On the contrary, it just made the creature doze more soundly. Katy wore an exasperated and irritated expression by the time the contact walked in. Surrounded by patrons, annoyingly obvious they were meeting with someone. And all the while, Stephen happily sipped at his coffee, not a care in the world. Simple minded... It must be joyous.

Thankfully, the woman was smart enough to be quiet. She nodded and responded in a low, hushed tone, "Yes. Do you know somewhere more private to talk?" She frowned, eyes cast around the establishment. Britannia had been quite the cesspool of humanity, oppressing all who dare to be born different. All in the name of uniting under one banner. Surveillances would not be something they were shy of. If this woman succeeded... "If you do not, here is fine."

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

The woman nodded in response. “Yes, I do. Follow me, let’s go.” Should immediately head to the door and awaited her clients to follow her. She seemed to be quite straightforward so far which was likely to Katy’s liking at the very least. She led them down the street and into an alleyway next to a slightly older building that seems to have been repurposed from a small firm into a building containing an assortment of establishments. She opened the door connected to said building with stairs that seemed to lead down somewhere.

”Given I am not supposed to be here, it was best that I find a place like this to lay low. But I do hope you are able to stomach a little drink.” She said as she looked at Stephen with a slight glare in his direction, all the more amplified by the fact that her eyes were the only visible part of her face. She then escorted both of them down into a bar, the barkeep seemingly nodded at her silently as they entered the establishment. There seemed to be next to no people at the moment, possibly due to the hidden nature of the bar as well as time having taken away their more prestigious patrons.

A vacant set of seats at the bar were present and the woman would gesture to them as she awaited for her clients to be seated. “Please, go ahead.”

 

[Hitura Rael]

Back out into the cold. Then into the warmth again. A bar of all places. Katy settled in and set the bag on the table. It stirred as the dragonet inside shifted and nestled in to a new position. They waited until drinks had been served and the likelihood of being interrupted again was minimal. As minimal as it could be in a bar at least. Katy sipped her drink once and set it down. Stephen on the other hand, made a show of being there to drink. He was a good cover at least.

"Our employer wishes to recover artifacts stolen from his family some time ago," She started, her hand slipped into the bag to pull out a book. A soft squeak and grumble emanated from the bag, though the noise of the bar could easily have covered the indignant squawks of the dragonet. Katy set the book down on the table and slid it over to the woman; The Visitor's Guide to Eorzea.

"A set of Dragon's Eyes were taken from his family in Ishgard some time ago. They've been in the possession of the nation ever since. Trinkets for their top two Dragoons as status symbols. We would like you to retrieve one or both eyes from the dragoons. Or drag one of them in if necessary. The male is the more susceptible of the two. Upon delivery you will be handsomely compensated, as advertised. Perhaps more if he is particularly pleased with your work."

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

“The eyes as I recall.” Sakiya said as she took the book on Eorzea. She was knowledgeable on only the bare minimum, that they came from a world of magic and that they were fighting a war against an empire called Garlemald. Sakiya looked up at the barkeep and whispered something to him in Japanese before he went off to make a drink.

”But I distinctly remember the contract saying it was for research purposes, not a family heirloom.“ She cracked open the Visitor’s Guide, landing on the pages pertaining to Ishgard in an attempt to learn more from the tome. She quickly read up on Ishgard, and that was when the details were beginning to become strange. “And it mentions here that a peace was forged between a group of dragons, and that they are at war with another.” There was definitely deception, but to what extent she did not know.

”So may I ask, why do you state such a bald faced lie?” Sakiya turned to meet the gaze of Katy, her eyes attempting to decipher what exactly it was they wanted from her as a mercenary.

 

[Hitura Rael]

"People tend to be less adverse to accepting a job without extra compensation if that detail is brought up up front. It weeds out the ones who would want to exploit it if the value is understated." Katy flashed a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "And, as it has been lost long ago, it is indeed being requested for study as well. It was stolen long enough ago that all that remains is stories and vague descriptions. What better relic to study? Unfortunately, there are two Azure Dragoons reported from our research. Ishgard claims to have two relics. We don't know who has what. All we know is the Male of the pair is the easier target. Not quite as serious as the female. The female is also what the book refers to as a Miqo'te. I imagine they have some rather accurate to felines traits, like claws and fangs. More likely to hurt if you capture them. As we stated, we would prefer diplomatic means... but I doubt they'll part with the relics easily."

Not exact lies. She did wish to study it before handing it over to Nidhogg. And it was stolen eons ago, to the point that if she had not seen the eye in his skull she would have no idea if it was a real honest to goodness eye or some kind of jewel.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

“Do you know about the history of these eyes?” She said as she looked back to her client, occasionally taking glances at the book. It seemed that she was reading up on Dragoons, a special fighting force trained to deal with dragonkin through airborne combat. A fight like that would most definitely involve swatting flies. But that was a problem for the future, not for the present. Katy’s smile clearly told a bit about her, a gentle smile yes but also quite easy to fake. She has met many a swindler in her business as a Yakuza enforcer, that smile was already one tell of such activity.

”How were the eyes taken? Fairly or unfairly? I do not wish to rob them of something rightfully earned after all.” Soon her requested drink arrived, a mocktail for refreshment and to stay sober. The bartender bowed to Sakiya after having presented the beverage and promptly leaving to tend to other customers.

“You see I do not take kindly to cowards, liars even more. Cowards have the guts to admit their cowardice. But liars on the other hand? Liars always avoid responsibility, they always think they are out of reach from it. They think they can pull the strings behind closed curtains and snip them away the moment their puppet becomes compromised.” Now her entire body faced Katy, looking at her with a glare.

”So answer me this.” Sakiya’s eyes shut closed for a moment before they opened to reveal a red inorganic glow. The dark beads of her pupils replaced by a killer red stare. A red line was also visible, passing through the circular red glow, enhancing the effect that there was clearly something abnormal about her.

“Are you a liar?”

 

[Hitura Rael]

Katy giggled at the accusation. It surely was not a question. "Of course. All humans lie. You mean am I lying now? That depends," She picked up her drink and lazily twirled it in front of her, letting the ice clink against glass, "Am I a liar if the information I was given is a lie?" The woman did not intimidate her in the least. She had, after all, come face to face with far worse and lived. It wasn't as if they were utterly defenseless either. "Is the taking of a prize ever truly fair? It may be fair to one party's eyes, but that doesn't make it fair." She took a sip of her drink then set it down. "I was given no information on how the artifact was taken. All I know is that they were taken by Ishgard nobility. Our employer is neither Ishgardian nor nobility. But, if you wish more information from his mouth yourself... we are more than prepared to take you to him."

Stephen remained silent. That was his job on this mission. The muscle behind the brain, should things get out of hand. And by the looks of the woman they were looking ready to. He displayed the proper fear on his face, his hand slipped into his pocket, fingers wrapped around the glass vial within. It would be quite destructive, if he had to use it, but if the woman grew violent, necessary, to protect Shiv Doh.

The dragonet shifted in the bag, awake. His head did not quite poke out, but he had shifted once more, positioning himself to where he could see between the lip and flap of the bag to observe the woman. It was all he could do to stay quiet.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

Sakiya put her hand up in a gesture telling Katy to stop. “That is enough, if you cannot provide me with a straight answer, then I believe we are done.” She blinked and her eyes would return to normal before turning back to the bartender and seemingly gesturing for skewers of some kind. Her eyes no longer focused on her employers, but rather at the drink before her. It had been quite some time since she had such a drink in this bar, so she was going to savor it.

”I do not serve someone who withholds such information. If you came here without the appropriate knowledge, then you may as well have not paid me in the first place. Knowledge and trust are a more appropriate payment for us yakuza. But if your cowardly employer wishes to present himself here and now, then he may do so. If I find the explanation satisfactory, I will go through with the contract. But in exchange for your… incompetence, I would request for additional funds for new living supplies.“

Sakiya slowly swirled the drink in her hand, watching the liquid twirl and twirl about. “But if I find it unsatisfactory, then I will not take a treasure that a nation holds dear. I already know what it is like to lose an entire nation, I do not wish to rob another of an important part of another’s culture. And alongside that, I will not be returning the initial payment. There is no honor among thieves as they say, and you deserve none of my piety.”

 

[Hitura Rael]

"Important part of their culture?" A tiny voice squeaked from within the bag, followed by a diminutive giggle, "Thou wouldst think such a relic a part of culture? Nay, tis but a tool. Thine concerns for culture are misplaced. Thine employer is here, but is here a place for him to show himself?" Katy frowned at the bag, while Stephen eased his hand from his pocket.

The dragonet continued, sheltered within the fabric, "It is mine wish to study the eye. And once I am done, I intend to return it to my sire."

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

As Sakiya heard the peculiar voice, she struggled to find the source but soon honed in on the bag. There was… something tiny within it for sure. It was big enough of a bag to be some sort of cat, but that slight echoey voice was anything like a cat in any natural way. Was it some sort of magical familiar?

”Show yourself then, you will not be harmed. Anyone who tries will face me and suffer greatly. And what exactly do you mean by return it to your sire?” She attempted to piece things together with the information she had. To return the eyes of a dragon, a creature in all senses of the word. Could it be her employers were dragons themselves in the flesh? And the one she is speaking to now was but a small one?

 

[Hitura Rael]

"Harm is not my concern, tis why I have mine minions! Though the nap was good." The dragonet rose in the bag through the opening . The flap draped over the top fell aside to reveal the cat sized creature. His scales did not quite catch the light in the dim bar the way he liked to show off, his vibrant icy blue dulled down to a dingy gray. He watched Sakiya with big brown eyes, perched much like a cat would, wings folded against his back. He did not leave the bag. "I am the Great Shiv Doh! Bask in mine glory, mortal." The little dragon held his head high and proud, much... like a cat.

The looks on Katy and Joseph's faces told all. The exasperated looks of "God have mercy" and "For the love of fuck" often reserved for children's over enthusiastic antics.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

Sakiya eyed the tiny dragon pretending to be a great wyrm, for a moment it seemed as if she was about to pounce for being made a fool of. But instead, she stifled a laugh before letting it out completely. It was quite the hearty laugh, not something one came to expect of a woman, but she laughed anyway. So much so that her face mask began to slide off her nose. Eventually she managed to calm herself down from her own fit of laughter, all the while fixing her ever present face mask. ”Oh… haha… Sorry, I simply tend to find children quite amusing. Taking care of a few back home has made me a bit soft so to speak.”

She readjusted her posture as she began to formally address the dragonet. “But going back to my question, oh mighty Shiv Doh. I suppose you mean to return the eyes to your dragon father? Were the eyes his or of another dragon significant to him?”

 

[Hitura Rael]

The dragonet did not at all seem perturbed by the laughter. In fact he seemed encouraged. "Laughter is quite the natural reaction to facing thine mortality. Let it all out, that's a good human." He pointedly ignored the children remark. Though, he could not quite figure out the soft comment. Humans were always soft. Usually. Except that blue one they had found once, that one was quite hard and Mur Dahv had broken a tooth when he tried to eat the fellow's leg.

"Of course I mean to return the eyes to mine sire. Eventually. They are his after all. It's just so odd how humans can't do the same surely there's something different between them. The key is finding that difference!"

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

Listening to Shiv Doh, she wondered how old exactly this little creature was. It sounded as if it were older than a normal child, which might be the case. Though that does not truly explain the child-like or cat-like behavior for that matter to have all eyes on it at all times. “So he had his eyes taken from him? Interesting.”

Though that did little to answer her previous question, HOW were they taken. “But may I ask as to how they were taken from him? As well as why do they reside with the Dragoons specifically rather than in a Vault of some kind.” There was indeed something peculiar in how they’ve managed to dodge this question for quite some time. She had to know if they were still hiding anything.

 

[Hitura Rael]

"I know right! The First Brood are an interesting bunch! When I grow up I wanna be a scholar!" The Dragonet held his head up high and proud. "I'll be the first scholar of the Hoarde EVER!" He deflated a little at the obvious question. He raised his claws to tap two together. "I uh... I don't know. The elders do not discuss it and I don't know anything about the Ishgardians. And THAT is why I will be the one to take you!" He was not about to mention that he might over shoot it... or under shoot it.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

“You would make an excellent scholar indeed, but I think that starts by KNOWING what it is you actually wish to discuss.” Sakiya said as she played along while also giving the dragonet genuine advice. Though they were in Japan, where exactly would they go to get to wherever this was?

“And where do you plan to take me, Shiv Doh? The Eorzean gate certainly isn’t anywhere near here, and continuing this discussion over what can be days of travel certainly isn’t viable. So what exactly is it that you can do to whisk me away to where you want?” She was curious about that however, did it have to do with something on the Moon? They did state they were from the Lunar Geographical Society after all. Well, there was only one way to find out as she awaited the dragon lordling’s words.

 

[Hitura Rael]

"Oh that one's REALLY easy!" Shiv Doh chirped and turned to the empty space between the two sides of the table. He drew in a large breath, somewhat exaggerated as children often do when threatening to hold their breath until they pass out.

"Shiv Doh- No!" Katy quickly stood and leaned over the table, grabbing wildly at the dragonet and spilling the drink on it, much to Stephen's dismay. But it was too late.

Shiv Doh exhaled a mighty roar, that really was more like a shrill squeak of a dying mouse and rabbit with tones of airhorn and vuvuzella. A hole large enough to fit a person tore open in the air. Snow and biting wind blew into the tavern, a cascade of mountain ranges with sprawling greenlands below, thick giant trees and in the distance...floating islands. Shiv Doh fell onto his face, scrambled up, and puffed up proudly.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

Sakiya watched curiously as Shiv Doh readied himself for his little roar, shocked a bit more by Katy’s sudden attempt to stop Shiv Doh. She at the very least reached over and caught the falling glass, preventing any spill from occurring. As the small portal formed, she looked on with a bit of awe as the cold Dravanian breeze blasted through the gateway.

”Well… that was impressive. But what about getting back? I assume you can do the same? I wouldn’t want to be marooned there without a way back.” She asked as she stood up, finishing her drink in one swig. She let the feeling sit in her throat before placing the glass back. She signaled to the bartender that she’d take her skewers to go. Was probably better to have those to warm her up for wherever she was headed.